This application is related to Japanese Patent Applications No. 2000-172110 filed on Jun. 8, 2000, No. 2000-256531 filed on Aug. 25, 2000, and No. 2001-4025 filed on Jan. 11, 2001, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an attachment structure of a support member made of an elastic material in a heat exchanger. The attachment structure is suitably used for a vehicle heat exchanger such as a condenser.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional heat exchanger described JP-Y2-7-52329, plural L-shaped recess portions are provided in a metal side plate of the heat exchanger, plural protrusion claws are provided in an elastic attachment member, and the protrusion claws are engaged with the L-shaped recess portions so that the attachment portion is attached to the side plate. However, because each of the L-shaped recess portions is opened at an outer peripheral end of the side plate, rigidity of the side plate around the recess portions is reduced and the outer peripheral end of the side plate is readily deformed. Thus, when the side plate is heated in a brazing, the side plate around the L-shaped recess portions is readily deformed due to a thermal stress generated in the side plate.
In view of the foregoing problems,: it is an object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger in which an elastic support member is readily inserted into a side plate while a deformation of the side plate is prevented in a brazing.
According to the present invention, in a heat exchanger having a core portion for performing a heat exchange between both fluid, and a side plate disposed at an end of the core portion for reinforcing the core portion, the side plate has a pair of opposite walls disposed opposite to each other, and an elastic support member for supporting the core portion is inserted between the opposite walls of the side plate to have an inserted portion inserted into the side plate. In the heat exchanger, the inserted portion of the support member has a recess portion recessed to an inner side, the opposite walls have a protrusion portion protruding to an inner side between the opposite walls, and the protrusion portion is provided to be engaged with the recess portion of the support member.
Accordingly, the support member can be readily fitted into the side plate by elastically deforming a part of the opposite walls after the inserted portion of the support member is inserted into the side plate. Further, it is unnecessary to form a recess recessed from an opened peripheral end of the side plate. Thus, a deformation of the side plate in a brazing can be prevented while the support member can be readily attached into the side plate. In addition, because the recess portion is provided in the support member, a material cost for forming the support member can be relatively reduced.
Preferably, each of the opposite walls has a slit penetrating through each opposite wall, and the protrusion portion is provided in the opposite walls at a position proximate to the slit to protrude to the inner side between the opposite walls. Therefore, the protrusion portion can be readily formed by plastically deforming a part of the opposite walls.
The support member includes the inserted portion inserted between the opposite walls to be fixed therebetween, a mount guide portion being attached to a vehicle body, and a vibration absorbing portion between the inserted portion and the mount guide portion. In addition, the inserted portion of the support member has a reinforcement portion made of a material harder than the elastic material. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce a hardness of the support member, while it can prevent the inserted portion of the support member from being detached from the side plate. As a result, when the heat exchanger is mounted on a vehicle, the support member can sufficiently absorb a vibration transmitted from the vehicle to the heat exchanger, while it can prevent the inserted portion of the support member from being removed from the side plate.